Asahi Kasei to manufacture Lifevest Wearable Cardioverter

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is the cause of death for approximately 60,000 people per year in Japan. In some cases, it is possible to identify a risk of SCD before it occurs.

Being worn continuously (except during bathing), the LifeVest  Wearable Cardioverter Defibrillator provides protection for patients at risk of SCD by constantly monitoring the patient’s heart and, if a life-threatening heart rhythm (ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia) is detected, delivering a treatment shock to restore normal heart rhythm. The LifeVest is used to protect a wide range of patients, including patients with newly diagnosed heart failure, following recent myocardial infarction, or following coronary revascularization.

The LifeVest has one set of electrodes to measure electrocardiogram (ECG) data, and another set of electrodes to deliver the treatment shock. As the detection of life-threatening heart rhythm and delivery of the defibrillation shock are performed automatically, a patient’s life can be saved without assistance of any other person. Furthermore, as the LifeVest  is wearable, its use can be easily initiated or discontinued in accordance with changes in the patient’s condition, enabling use to be limited to the period when a patient is at high risk of SCD.

Asahi Kasei